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Published on: September 8, 2023
Three-dimensional facial hard tissue symmetry in a healthy Caucasian population group: a systematic review
Nermin Morgan1,2, Isti Suryani3,4, Sohaib Shujaat3
1OMFS-IMPATH Research Group, Department of Imaging & Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, KU Leuven and Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospitals Leuven, Campus Sint Rafaël, Kapucijnenvoer 33, 3000, Leuven, Belgium. nermin.morgan@kuleuven.be.
Objective:
The aim of this study was to quantify the symmetry of the facial hard tissue structures using three-dimensional radiographic imaging modalities in a normal Caucasian population group.
Materials And Methods:
Electronic literature search was conducted in the following databases: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library up to February 2021. The studies assessing symmetry of facial bones using computed tomography (CT) and cone beam CT were included.
Results:
The initial search revealed 8811 studies. Full-text analysis was performed on 33 studies. Only 10 studies were found eligible based on the inclusion criteria. The qualitative analysis revealed that a significant variability existed in relation to the methodologies applied for symmetry quantification.
Conclusion:
The current review suggested that the overall relative symmetry of the normal Caucasian population group varied depending on the skeletal structure being assessed; however, majority of the observations showed a symmetry within the range of 1 mm without any significant difference between left and right sides.
Clinical Relevance:
The quantification of facial hard tissue structure symmetry is vital for the diagnosis and treatment planning of orthodontic and/or maxillofacial surgical procedures. Prospero registration number CRD42020169908.
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